Sunday, October 09, 2005

How was my weekend?

Consumed with consumption, literal and figurative. I returned to the farmer's market under the freeway in hopes of finding more cheddar-onion-beer buns. I was chagrined, however, to find that my favorite baker wasn't there. In fact many of the vendors who were there a month ago weren't there this weekend, which suggests to me that they weren't selling and decided to take their wares elsewhere.

After picking up a big bundle of produce I went to the newish downtown supermarket that's trying to be hip and upscale. Note that the natural and organic products they're so proud of are also convenience foods in wasteful packaging. I'm just saying. Later in the weekend I was in the natural foods co-op and saw the new issue of Plenty.

I kind of wish I had bought it, because now I'm eager to know whether these people are serious about buying a healthy planet or if this is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek. I think it's serious. Anyhow, if there is any doubt in your mind that the organic movement is as much lifestyle as politics, here is Plenty's notion of its readership (from the company's online media kit): "We are focusing on an upscale, high-income/high-education demographic with our newsstand distribution." No duh.

The consumption continued at the neighborhood Catholic church's rummage sale. This fine array of rummage includes a bagful of plastic food, a set of nesting multi-colored bowls, an electric knife in excellent condition, two pieces of stemware, a big white dish, a book by Sandra Boynton, a toy piano, and a smiley-face-flower watering can. Total $2.60.

I wound up making trips both to the really big bad discount retailer and to the lovely red bull's-eye store. It occurred to me that only girls can wear cute socks. (We bought a navy zip-up hoodie for me and some supercute helicopter jammies for the kid, among many other things.)

Finally, if there are both squash and marshmallows in the house, it's pretty certain I will do this with them. This is a new squash variety for me and I stupidly forgot its name. I bought it from the farmer and he said it would be sweet. It tasted less sweet and less squashy than the acorn squash I bought last week at the notsupermarket. You lose some. The marshmallows were good, obviously.

(To prepare, I split it and scooped out the seeds, drizzled with oil, sprinkled with salt and brown sugar, and baked cut-side-up for about 40 minutes at 450. Then I put marshmallows on each half and returned them to the oven for another few minutes, just until they were nicely browned. The brown sugar is probably overkill but if you're eating marshmallows for dinner, hey go crazy.)

Great recipe idea. I'm sure Plenty would recommend Whole Foods' homemade marshmallows, which I saw in the produce section of the store this past weekend. (I was stopping in just for carrots, I swear.) A small tub was priced at nearly $5 -- perfect for "buying a healthy planet," right?

Because I'm a boy, FF. Actually I was thinking of our little youngster. I don't think I would dress him in socks that have a pig's head and pink hearts on them, not because they're girly but because they're cute.